Bethlehem means "House of Bread" or "House of Meat". I am not expert enough in Hebrew to understand the two possible translations. Then again, I think it is fascinating.
From Bethlehem, Jesus was born. He would be the Bread of Life. He would be the sacrificial Lamb. We would break bread to remember his "body broken for us."
Just as manna came from heaven as the bread of life to the Israelites in the days of desert wandering, so Jesus is the Bread of Life . He feeds hungry souls and then becomes the sacrifice to save our souls.
The words to the Prophet Micah:
"But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days." - Micah 5:2 (Old Testament)
This passage is rich with the promise of the Messiah. It, also, declares what John wrote about Jesus being in the beginning and then coming forth at another time. The promise was made and then it came to pass:
"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem,... and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” -Matthew 2:1, 4-6
The little town society saw as small and insignificant, God saw it as fertile ground. Blessed is the name of the Lord who sees more than the world sees.
Bethlehem would be remembered for the night The Light arrived.
"Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." -John 6:35
From the "House of Bread" would come the one to satisfy our soul's hunger. From the "House of Meat" would come the sacrificial lamb.
Coincidence? We all must decide what we believe.
Today, I am grateful for Bethlehem.
No comments:
Post a Comment